Calibrachoa plant named ‘Suncal 1082’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Calibrachoa  plant named ‘Suncal 1082’, characterized by its semi-upright and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; long flowering period; large light yellow-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Calibrachoa sp.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNCAL 1082’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofCalibrachoa plant, botanically known as Calibrachoa sp. and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘Suncal 1082’.

The new Calibrachoa plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective ofthe breeding program is to develop new vigorous, semi-upright, moundingand freely branching Calibrachoa plants with numerous large andattractive flowers with unique coloration.

The new Calibrachoa plant originated from a cross-pollination conductedby the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in September, 2012 of aproprietary selection of Calibrachoa sp. identified as code numberC24-19-1, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with aproprietary selection of Calibrachoa sp. identified as code numberC24-14-1, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The newCalibrachoa plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as asingle flowering plant from within the progeny of the statedcross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi,Shiga, Japan in October, 2013.

Asexual reproduction of the new Calibrachoa plant by terminal vegetativecuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga,Japan since November, 2013 has shown that the unique features of thisnew Calibrachoa plant are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Suncal 1082’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Suncal 1082’ as a new and distinct Calibrachoaplant:

-   -   1. Semi-upright and mounding plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching habit.    -   4. Freely flowering habit.    -   5. Long flowering period.    -   6. Large light yellow-colored flowers.    -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the femaleparent selection. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily fromplants of the female parent selection in flower color as plants of thefemale parent selection have darker yellow-colored flowers. In addition,plants of the new Calibrachoa have larger flowers than plants of thefemale parent selection.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the maleparent selection. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily fromplants of the male parent selection in flower color as plants of themale parent selection have darker yellow-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can also be compared to plants ofCalibrachoa sp. ‘Sunbelki’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,558. Inside-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Calibrachoa and ‘Sunbelki’differ primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa have a semi-upright and        mounding plant habit whereas plants of ‘Sunbelki’ have a        creeping plant habit.    -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa are more freely branching than        plants of ‘Sunbelki’.    -   3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa have larger flowers than plants        of ‘Sunbelki’.    -   4. Flowers of plants of the new Calibrachoa are lighter yellow        in color than flowers of plants of ‘Sunbelki’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Calibrachoa plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Calibrachoa plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Suncal 1082’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Suncal 1082’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the summer in 24-cm containersin an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under culturalpractices typical of commercial Calibrachoa production. During theproduction of the plants, day temperatures averaged 23° C. and nighttemperatures averaged 13° C. Plants were four months old when thephotographs and the description were taken. In the followingdescription, color references are made to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Calibrachoa sp. ‘Suncal 1082’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number C24-19-1, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number C24-14-1, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About one week at            temperatures about 15° C. to 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and            winter.—About three weeks at temperatures about 15° C. to            20° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Semi-upright and mounding plant            habit; freely branching habit with numerous lateral branches            developing per plant; pinching enhances lateral branch            development; vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 20 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 68 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 32 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 1.8 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 2.5 cm.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Aspect.—Upright to outwardly.        -   Texture.—Densely pubescent; rough.        -   Color.—Close to 144B.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.        -   Length.—About 3.4 cm.        -   Width.—About 1.7 cm.        -   Shape.—Obovate.        -   Apex.—Broadly acute.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Densely pubescent; rough.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.        -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:            Close to 138A; venation, close to 144C. Developing and fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 138B; venation,            close to 144D.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 4.6 mm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper            and lower surfaces: Close to 144C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single salverform flowers            arising from upper leaf axils; freely flowering habit with            usually about 200 flowers developing per plant; flowers face            upright to outwardly.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants of            the new Calibrachoa initiate and develop flowers about three            to four weeks after planting; long flowering period,            flowering naturally commences during the spring and plants            flower continuously throughout the summer until late autumn            in Japan.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about seven to ten            days on the plant; flowers not persistent.        -   Flower diameter.—About 5 cm.        -   Flower length (depth).—About 8.7 mm.        -   Throat diameter.—About 8.8 mm.        -   Tube length.—About 1.8 cm.        -   Tube diameter, base.—About 2.8 mm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2.6 cm. Diameter: About 8.5 mm.            Shape: Cylindrical. Color: Close to 1B.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and            opening into a flared trumpet. Petal length from throat:            About 2.1 cm. Petal width: About 1.8 cm. Petal shape:            Roughly spatulate. Petal apex: Rounded with slight            indentation. Petal margin: Entire; slightly undulate. Petal            texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Throat            texture: Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture: Smooth, glabrous.            Color: Petal, when opening and fully opened, upper surface:            Close to 10B; venation, faint, close to 151C; color becoming            closer to 11B with development. Petal, when opening and            fully opened, lower surface: Close to 10C; color becoming            closer to 11B with development. Throat: Close to 9A;            proximally, close to 12A; venation, faint, close to 151C.            Tube: Close to 4C; venation, close to 144C.        -   Calyx.—Arrangement: Star-shaped tubular calyx tube with five            sepals in a single whorl and fused at the base. Sepal            length: About 9.7 mm. Sepal width: About 2.9 mm. Sepal            shape: Lanceolate. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal margin: Entire.            Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Sepal            color: Immature and mature, upper surface: Close to 144A.            Immature and mature, lower surface: Close to 144A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 0.8 mm.            Angle: Upright to outwardly. Strength: Strong. Texture:            Pubescent; rough. Color: Close to 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Five per flower.            Filament length: About 9.4 mm. Filament color: Close to            145C. Anther shape: Ellipsoidal. Anther size: About 1.6 mm            by 1.2 mm. Anther color: Close to 5B. Pollen amount:            Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 7A. Pistils: Quantity: One            per flower. Pistil length: About 1.2 cm. Style color: Close            to 145C. Stigma shape: Transversely ellipsoidal. Stigma            color: Close to 145B. Ovary color: Close to 145A.        -   Seeds and fruits.—To date seed and fruit development have            not been observed on plants of the new Calibrachoa.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have been observed    to have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and    temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 35° C.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Calibrachoa    have not been observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common    to Calibrachoa plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Calibrachoa plant named ‘Suncal1082’ as illustrated and described.